# Does anyone else hate Gmail's new look? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182 "2011-12-05T21:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/21 "2011-12-08T08:19:15Z")
I really disliked it but now thanks to this thread I switched the density to compact and it’s all cool. ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/22 "2011-12-08T09:19:16Z")
I really disliked it but now thanks to this thread I switched the density to compact and it’s all cool. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/23 "2011-12-08T10:08:16Z")
I don’t mind the layout changes except for how they’ve changed the left-hand sidebar. I have 11 labels I use nearly every day, and I don’t use chat at all. In the old view, I’d arranged it so all 11 of my frequent labels were always visible on the left sidebar, and I could easily navigate between them. In the new view, chat popped up and took up half of the sidebar (or 2/3 to 3/4 depending on how tall I made the browser window), and even when I took off chat, the labels don’t fill out the sidebar; they roll up to the top quarter-to-half of the sidebar, meaning I can only see the top two or three unless I mouse over the sidebar and wait for the rest of them to roll out. And if I want to see _all_ my labels, I have to click on “More” at the bottom. This is the same as it used to be, but there’s really no reason to roll up the ‘abbreviated’ labels list because it’s already abbreviated! Especially since the rest of the sidebar is blank without chat. It’s hiding my useful labels so I can enjoy…nothing. Does anyone know if there’s a way to turn that off? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/24 "2011-12-08T17:50:39Z")
Does anyone have a fix for my problem? In some of my Gmail accounts (I haven’t switched all of them) I don’t have links to “Documents” and “Calendar” etc across the top anymore. To get to them I have to click on the Google icon itself, and then I get a list of some things, but still no “Caldendar”… for that I have to click “More” at the bottom of the list, and THEN I see “Calendar.” Seeing that “Calendar” is one of the most clicked things for me in Gmail, putting it behind 3 clicks is pretty lame. Is there a way to move it back to the front? ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/25 "2011-12-08T17:55:42Z")
I didn’t get used to the Cal change either, so eventually I put it back to the old look. I’ve done the same right off for Gmail, hope it will last a while… It’s all washed out, like you’re looking through a mist. Silly Google. ---
**Author:** ![ClaytonThroop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@ClaytonThroop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClaytonThroop)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/26 "2011-12-08T17:56:20Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Does anyone have a fix for my problem? In some of my Gmail accounts (I haven’t switched all of them) I don’t have links to “Documents” and “Calendar” etc across the top anymore. To get to them I have to click on the Google icon itself, and then I get a list of some things, but still no “Caldendar”… for that I have to click “More” at the bottom of the list, and THEN I see “Calendar.” > > Seeing that “Calendar” is one of the most clicked things for me in Gmail, putting it behind 3 clicks is pretty lame. Is there a way to move it back to the front? I do not think there’s a way to change that - yet. It would be great to be able to customize that menu… ---
**Author:** ![gransar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@gransar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gransar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/27 "2011-12-18T09:06:00Z")
Lots of people over dozens of have joined “I hate Gmail’s new look” (and counting) of members: > **[I hate Gmail's new look | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/groups/287128824663301/)** > > Lots of people... have joined > "I hate Gmail's new look" (and counting) of members. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/28 "2011-12-18T16:22:26Z")
> [@Critical\_Mass](#): > > I’ve stopped paying attention to functional and decorative changes with Gmail. > > Whatever it is today, it will change again in a number of weeks. > > And then it will change again. > > I don’t get attached to any one format. I can still sort through my email and find what I need. Good enough. This. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/29 "2011-12-19T04:41:54Z")
Yet to see it! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/30 "2012-01-03T23:20:22Z")
Logged in for the first time this year. The new Gmail look was not a welcome NY’s present. ☹ Thank goodness I remembered this thread. I’ll start trying the suggestions. It’s a Shame they are so determined to ruin GMail. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/31 "2012-01-03T23:34:55Z")
Here’s Another vote for **Compact** Display Density. That helped a lot. The chat section is still annoying and too big. But at least my messages look better. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/32 "2012-01-04T01:25:49Z")
I hate the way they seem to have replaced all the written text with symbols. Paradoxically, it feels dumbed-down AND harder to understand at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/33 "2012-01-04T01:36:06Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > It’s all washed out, like you’re looking through a mist. Silly Google. This is my big beef. The contrast for the difference between read and unread mail is too low. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/34 "2012-01-04T18:29:12Z")
I’m resigned to it now - Compact has helped. But I am surprised that a change like this comes along with no obvious answer to “Why did we do this? What’s better?” Absent that, a format change comes across as “Every so often, without asking you, we’re going to come into your house and rearrange the furniture - just because we can. You didn’t want the change? Wanted to feel _you_ were in control? Tough luck.” ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/35 "2012-01-05T06:01:41Z")
Today is the first day I was forced to look at the new look, it is better in compact mode but as someone above mentioned there is too little contrast. I’ve noticed a lot of sites going more washed which is a problem on my laptop because if the screen is not at the exact correct angle it all looks like white with a tinge of gray, on white. I temprarily switched back though i’m sure eventually that option will go away. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/36 "2012-01-05T06:20:17Z")
I switched back. Got a pop-up asking why. Told them it made it harder for me to read. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/37 "2012-01-05T06:37:35Z")
I tried the High Contrast Theme. I’m not really convinced its much better. But its worth trying. I miss the buttons for deleting and other functions. I had to let my mouse hover over the new Icons to figure out which was delete. I’m mildly irritated. I’m not heavily invested in how Gmail or YouTube look. I just want it to work when I need it. > [@gracer](#): > > I didn’t get used to the Cal change either, so eventually I put it back to the old look. I’ve done the same right off for Gmail, hope it will last a while… > > It’s all washed out, like you’re looking through a mist. Silly Google. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/38 "2012-01-05T19:25:54Z")
I use this for my business mail then I changed companies and they make me use my company mail in advertising so I may use this as an excuse to change everything over. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/39 "2012-01-05T19:44:21Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I sometimes have a hard time finding “Calendar”… I have to click the Google icon, then at the bottom, I have to click on “More” and THEN I see Calendar. It used to be right up at the top. And it still is on some of my accounts. But the new ones, it’s hidden. I don’t like the changes. It’s back! They put Calendar, Documents, etc back at the top ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182/40 "2012-01-06T01:36:00Z")
I take it back. It only shows up sometimes, and possibly only in Chrome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-else-hate-gmails-new-look/605182.md?page=3)